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Stephen King

With this summer’s “Under the Dome” adaptation on TV and two new novels (including “Doctor Sleep,” a sequel to “The Shining”) on shelves this fall, author Stephen King never seems to be out of the public eye for long. Despite the near-constant spotlight, however, you may still be in the dark about some facets of this author famous for his explorations of the sinister what-ifs and potential menace lurking in everyday life.

For instance, did you know that King…

worked at a gas station, an industrial laundry, and a knitting mill?

is the author of over 50 novels, more than 200 short stories, a volume of poetry, numerous novellas, essays, comic books, memoirs, adaptations of his works for other media, a pop-up book, and an online serial?

writes a little every day, including holidays and his own birthday, and has published a book almost every year since his first, “Carrie,” came out in 1974?

wrote a number of books under the pseudonym Richard Bachman due to concerns that he was oversaturating the market?

is a huge Boston Red Sox fan and co-wrote a book about the team’s historic 2004 season?

collaborated on an original stage musical with John Mellencamp?

has appeared in an episode of “Sons of Anarchy” and as a caller on “Frasier”?

owns several radio stations?

is the father of author Joe Hill?

is married to novelist Tabitha King?

had to have three operations to stabilize a collapsed lung and repair fractures to his leg and hip after being struck by a van in 1999?

established a nonprofit foundation that has provided financial support to nearly every library in his home state of Maine?

To learn more about King’s life and works, check out these and other resources from The Library’s collection.